Compressing-machine



E. ERICKSON.

COMPRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16' 191.9.

1,3%, 1 85 Patented July 12, 1921,

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

46 45 44 42 55 6E 67 as 61% 59 my 52 41 E. ERICKSON.

COMPRESSINGMACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1919.

A TQN 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

vWVEA/TUF Patented July 12, 1921.

E. ERICKSON.

GOMPRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I6, 1919.

1,38%,185 Patented July 12, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- 7154 95 g fiyz yz 0 55 TWO 6 EDEVARD ERICKSGN, OF BEVERLY, IJIASSACHUSETTS, SIG-N633 T UNITED SHOE WIAUHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, HEX/V JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NE'W' JERSEY.

COMPRESSIDTG-MACHINE.

Application filed June 16,

To aZZ to 7mm it may concern Be known that I, EDWARD Enrcnson, a citizen of the United States, residmg at Beverl y, in the county of Essex and State of liiassachusetts, have invented certain lm provements in Compressing-Machines, of which the following description, in connec tion with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to compressing machines, and more particularly to compressing ma chines for compressing or condensing heels for boots and shoes, although it is to be understood that it is equally applicable to machines for molding, by compression, other sole leather blanks such for example, as top lifts for heels.

The United States Patent No. 776,823, dated December 6, 1904-, illustrates and de- SCl'lbGrl a type of machine heretofore in 6X tensive use for compressing or condensing heels and top lifts. The product of this machine is of superior quality and the ma chine itself has been commercially successful. its output, however, has been limited by the capacity of the machine to treat one blank at a time. The great increase in the use of compressed heels and top lifts has brought a demiind for a compressing machine, which, while capable of doing the same character of high grade work as the machine of the type shown in the patent mentioned, shall have a greater productive capacity.

flue of the objects of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a compressing machine vhich will respond to the created demand and be capable of producing a greater number of heels or top lifts of superior quality in a unit of time than heretofore possible, ano an important feature of the n'esent invention, in this respect, consists of a plurality of blank confining molds in combination with pressure exerting means acting on both the face and the edge of the blank and ejector mechanism actuated to dis- 'ge a compressed blank while another 2: is being compressed. This feature of the invention is accomplished, in the present instance, by a reciprocating mold carrier or block having two molds to support blanks in substantially vertical planes for the action of the pressure exerting and ejector mechanisms which are operated to simul- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 12, iii/232i.

1919. Serial No. 304,641.

taneously compress a blank in one mold and discharge a compressed blank from the other mold. In this connection, a further feature of the invention consists in a heel breast compression member acting simultaneously with the face pressure members in timed relation to the reciprocating movements of the mold block.

The molds in the mold block in the present instance are formed in the block itself to withstand the enormous pressure exerted on a blank in the mold, but as the same machine should be adapted to treat blanks of varying sizes, a further'feature of the invention consists of a slide member movable transversely relative to the path of movement of the pressure members and ejector, and improved means for detachably connecting the mold block to the slide, so that mold blocks having molds of different dimensions may be employed in the same machine.

Additional features of the invention and novel combination of parts, as well as those above mentioned, will be hereinafter de scribed in connection with the accompanying d rawings illustrating a good practical form thereof, and the invention will then be definitely defined in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken substantially centrally of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective detail showing the mold carrier or block and the slide to which it is detachably connected;

l ig. 5 is a central section longitudinally of the mold block and slide;

Fig. 6 is a detached detail showing one form of heel breast pressure block;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail showing one of the pressure ex rting members or plungers;

Fig. 8 is an under side view of the heel supply chute showing means for adjusting the size of the chute to the size of heels being supplied; and

Fig. 9 is a cross section on the line 99 of Fig. 8 showing more particularly how the two side members of the chute are adjustably connected to the bottom of the chute.

The machine frame 1 is of appropriate character to properly support the operating n ieehanism. The main drive shaft 2 (Figs. .1.

and 2) is supported in suitable bearings 3, one of which is indicated in Fig. 1 as mounted on the bracket 4 connected to the side of the machine frame. Power may be communicated to the drive shaft 2 by any suitable means, such, for instance, as the loose and tight pulleys 5 and 6 respectively, carried by the drive shaft, and a fly or brake wheel 7 may be connected to the drive shaft, as indicated in Fig. 1. lVhen the machine is driven by a belt connection, any usual form of belt shifter may be employed, and its shifting movement be controlled by a handle as usual in this class of devices. In the present instance, the belt shifting forks are not illustrated, because they are a well understood form of mechanism. A handle 8 and connections 9 and 10 to a pivoted lever 11 may be employed for shifting the belt and simultaneously operating a brake 12 through a bell-crank lever 13 and plunger 14-, the construction being such that as the belt is moved to the fast pulleyv 6, the brake 12 will be removed from contact with the brake wheel 7, and conversely, when the belt is shifted to the loose pulley 5, the brake will be moved into engagement with the brake wheel 7 and serve to bring the machine to rest. The parts thus generally described may be of any desired or appropriate character.

The drive shaft'2 has secured thereto a toothed gear 15, shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, from which appropriate movement is derived for actuating thecompression members and simultaneously therewith the ejector mechanism.

In suitable bearings at opposite sides of the machine, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, there are mounted the shafts 16 and 17 which constitutethe toggle actuating shafts for the face pressure members, as will later appear. Mounted on each of the shafts 16 and 17 is a toothed wheel 18, 19 (Fig. 2) which are 0 aeratively engaged. with the toothed gears 20 and 21 respectively, mounted on the intermediate shafts 22 and Secured to the shafts 22 and 23 are the idle or transmission gears 24 and 25 which mesh with the smaller gear 15 mounted on the drive shaft 2, the construction being such that upon rotation of the drive shaft 2, appropriate rotary movement will be imparted to the toggle operating shafts 16 and 17.

The toggle operating shafts 16 and 17 are provided with crank portions 26 and 27, each of which is connected to a thrust arm 28, 29. The thrust arms 28 and 29 are pivotally joined at 30, 31 with the toggle members 32 and 33 respectively, the construction being such that as the arms 28 and 29 are raised and lowered by the rotation of the shafts 16 and 17, the toggles 32 and 33 respectively will be straightened and broken to force the compression members toward each other to compress the blank within a mold and then to withdraw the compression members from the mold as will further appear.

lslounted for reciprocating movement in appropriate guides 34: and 35 carried by the machine frame, are the followes 36 and 37 (Fig. 2) which carry the face compression members 33 and 39, the outer end of the followers 36 and 37 being pivotally connected to their respective toggles as indicated in Fig. 2. i

- lhe tread and seat portions of a heel are somewhat differently shaped. The tread is usually flat, whereas the heel seat is made concave. The pressure member 38, therefore, as indicated in Fig. 2, is provided with a convex face portion, which during its operation serves to give the heel seat the desired concavity. The compression member 39 on the other hand, is preferably made flat to give to the tread surface of the heel the desired form, The compression members 33 and 39 may be dctachably connected to their respective followers 36 and 37, so that different sizes or forms of compression members may be substituted for each other as circumstances dictate. In the present in stance the followers, as indicated in Fig. 7,

are provided with a dovetailed recessed end portion 10 adapted to receive a complemental dovetailed portion on the back of the compression members, the construction being such that the compression members may be readily removed and others substituted for them.

inasmuch as heels or top lifts vary in thickness, it is desirable that the pressure exerting elements may be adapted for variable pressure movements. l'n the present instance, this adjustability is effected by means of the blocks a1 and 42 to which the toggle members 32 are pivotally connected as indicated in Fig. 2, and in order to sustain the blocks all and 1-2 against the thrust to which they are subjected during the compression stroke of the compression members,

insert pieces 1-3 and 14E may be placed be tween the blocks 4:1 and d2 respectively, and the end portion of the frame against which the pressure is exerted. Means, such as the hand wheels 45 and. at and the threaded stems 4'? and 1S may be employed for adusting the position of the blocks and to hold them firmly against their end seats as the toggles are broken and the compression members withdrawn from their pressure exerting stroke.

Mounted for transverse reciprocating movement in the machine frame is the mold carrier or block slide 49 to which is detachably connected the mold carrier or block 50 provided with a plurality of molds 51, two being shown. in the present instance of ice the invention, and appropriate transverse movement is given to the slide and mold car rier or block at intervals to present first one mold to the action of the compression members to compress a blank within the mold and the other mold to an ejector mechanism to be described, which acts simultaneously with the compression members to eject a previously compressed blank while another blank is being compressed.

The slide 49 is supported by guideways 52 (Fig. 2) and has the projecting ears 53 (Fig. 4) to which is pivotally connected a link 54 actuated by a rocker arm 55 (Fig. 1) pivoted at 56 on a bracket 57 projecting from the machine frame. The rocker arm 55 is given appropriate rocking movement to impart the transverse travel to the slide 19 and the connected mold block by means of a cam58 (Fig. 1), appropriately driven as by connection with the toggle operating shaft 17 or other appropriate actuating means. The cam 58 has a cam groove 59 in which runs a roll or pin 60 extending from the rocker arm 55, the construction being such that upon rotation of the cam 58, the mold block 50 will be reciprocated transversely of the path of movement of the compression members, as hereinbefore described.

To effect the removal of a compressed blank while another blank is being compressed, an ejector mechanism is mounted to simultaneously act with the compression members to eject a. compressed blank whi e the compression members are compressing another blank. In the present instance, the ejector mechanism comprises the plunger 61 (Figs. 2 and 3), one being mounted at each side of the path of movement of the compression members and actuated simultaneously therewith. To this end each of the ejector plungers 61 is connected to one arm 62 of a bell crank lever (Fig. 2) pivoted at 63, the other arm 64 of the bell crank lever being connected with a link 65 jointed at 66 to the thrust arm 29, the construction being such that as the thrust arm 29 rises to straighten the toggle and eifect compression of the blank within one of the molds 51, the ejector plungers 61 will be simultaneeusly moved on their operating stroke and one at least of these will enter one of the molds 51, which at the time is located at one side of the path of movement of the compression members and eject a compressed blank therefrom.

The arm 62 of the bell crank may be variously connected to the ejector plungers for operating relation therewith, and in the present instance, the plungers 61 are carried by a socket member 67 (Fig. 2) to which they may be secured by the screw bolts 68.

The breast portion of heels are usually concave to some extent, and in order to eff ot this concaved condition by compression,

the present invention contemplates heel breast compression members which exert pressure upon the heel breast. his action upon the breast of heels may also be advantageously employed even where the breast of the heel is not concave. in the present instance of the invention the mold block 50 has extending from each of th molds 51 thereof an opening 4i and 5) provided with a shouldered portion 70 on which rests a complemontal shoulder portion of a heel breast compression member 71, one of said heal breast compression members being employed in connection with each of the molds 51, as indicated in F 5.

In order to give compressing movement to the heel breast compression members 1,

the slide 19 is provided with apertures 72;

(Fig. 5) through either of whi h may pass the reduced end portion 7% (Fig. 2) of a vertically movable plunger 74lactuated by the toggles 75 and 76, one of which is connected to the lower end of the plunger 7 1, and the other of which is stepped at 77 up in. the machine frame. The toggle members and 76 may be appropriately actuated by suitable mechanism, which in the present instance of the invention, consists of an arm 78 connected to a crank portion 79 wuich may be appropriately formed on the tog e operating shaft 17 (Fig. 2), the construction being such that when the plunger 7 1 is raised it will enter one of the optnii s 72 in the slide and actuate the heel lire st compression member 71 to compress the blank in the mold 51, which is for the time being, positioned for the compressing operation.

Heels differ in size, consequently, the molds 51 which are appropriate for one size of heel will not be suitable for another Provision is therefore made to reaijlily substitute one mold block for another by de tachable connection of the molr blocks with the slide e9. In the present instance of the invention, the slide 9 is provided with a guideway 80 (Figs. i; and adapted to receive a projecting pore-ion from the mold block 50 which may be slid lon idinally of the guide into place as indica in F1553. +1. and o. Pivotally mounted at on the slide 49 is a latch 82 adapted to it into a cross recess 83 in the slide to hold me mold block 50 in its associate relation with the slide. To permit the ready removal of the mold block 50 from the slide a. l the substitution of another, the p 1 ions of the openings 72 in the slide are be -reled as at 84;, and a corresponding bevel may be formed on the lower edge portions of the heel breast slide 71 as indicated at 85.

Speed of operation and consequent in creased production require th elimination, as far as possible, of hand manipulation of the blanks to be compressed, consequently the present invention provides automatic blank feeding means which positively acts to feed a blank into position for the compression members. A good form of such feeding means comprises a chute 86 (Fig. 2) in which the blanks 8'? may be supported, and down which they may be "led to present the endmost blank in the chute to the action of the feeding plunger 88 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is adapted to move the encmost heel downwardly in front of one ot the compres sion members. la the present instance, the feeding plunger 88 is carried by an oscillating arm 89 pivoted at 9-0 to a bracket 91 rising from the machine frame Fig. 1). The arm 89 is oscillated. at appropriate times by means of the toggle members 92 and 9 3 pivotally connected at Si l with a link 95 (Fig. 1) jointed to a lug 00 extend ing from the slide ll). To regulate the opening below the feed plunger 88 to the size of heels to be treated, gate 9? is provided which may be adjusted to vary the size of the opening through which the heels are to pass bymeans oi a hand lever 98 (Tie. 1) and the rack teeth 99 and segment 100, the construction being such that by manip ulation of the hand lever 98, the gate 97 may be appropriately moved to vary the size of the opening for the passage of blanks.

In order to accommodate the size or the chute to the size of the blanks, the side members 101 of the chute (Fig. 9) are connected to the bottom portion 102 or the chute by pins 103 which pass through open- 7 ings or slots 10% formed. in the bottom of the chute. The pins 103 are connected by links 105 to a rocker arm 106 which may be oscillated by a rod 107 actuated by a handle 108 as indicated in 8. The adjusting mechanism is duplicated at each end por-.

tion of the chute, in order to simultaneously adjust both ends of the chute, as inoicated in Fig. 8.

The ejector mechanism will act to eject a compressed. heel first at one side of the line of operation of the pressure exerting members and then at the opposite side. Two chutes 109 are appropriately connected to the machine frame to receive the compressed heels as they are discharged and direct them from the machine.

The operation of the machine has been sulliciently set forth in the detailed description of the construction, and it will be noted that the compression members enter one of the molds by movements of approach to compress a blank within. that mold, and simultaneously therewith the ejector mechanism is actuated to eject a previously compressed blank held in the mold which has been moved to one side of the path of movement of the compression members, so that in the single cycle of the machine operation, a compressed blank is discharged by the ejecting mechanism while the compression members are sub ecting another blank to compression. The machine is lllKGNrSC substantially automatic throughout, it requires only that a ac ion of the pressure means and another mole to the e ector, and means for simultaneously actuating the pressure means and ciector to discharge a compressed blank iilc another blank is being compressed.

2. In a compressing machine, thecombination of means for exerting pressure horizontally upon a blank, a horizontally movable ejector for ejecting; a compressed'blank,

a mold block having a plurality of blank containing molds, means ior'reciprocating the mold block to present one mold to the action of the pressure means and another mold to the ejector, means for feeding a blank to be compressed, and means or simultaneously actuating; the pressure means and ejector to discharge a corn ssed blank while another blank is being compressed.

In compressing machine, the combination oi a pluralitycf molds arranged to ks in substantially vertical planes, exerting pressure horizontally 1 blank contained in one of said molds, means for ejecting? a blank conta'ned in another of said molds, means for moving said molds to present one to the pressure means and another to the ejector, and means for simultaneously operatin the pressure means and ejector to discharge a compressed blank while another blank isbeing compressed.

4:. ln a'compressing machine, the combination of a mold block having two molds for supporting blanks in substantially vertical planes, compression means actinghorizontally at opposite sides of the mold block to enter and compress a blank in one or said molds, an ejector arranged at each side of the compression means, means. for moving the mold block to present one mold to the horizontally acting compression means and another to one of the ejectors, and means for simultaneously operating the compression means and ectors to discharge a compressed" blank while another is being compressed.

In a compression machine, the combination of means for exertingpressurc upon the face of a blank, means for exerting pres sure upon an edge of the blank, an ejector, a

mold block containing a plurality of molds, bl ck to is bei compressed.

1 V 4 w ml machine tor compressing noel ol' nolcs, me for exerting sure upon the faces or a k coniined in one oi" said molds, means for exerting pressure on the breast of a heel blank contained in one of said molds, an ejector, mea is for reciprocating the mold block to present a blank to said pressure exerting means and another blank to said ejector, and means for operating the pressure means and ejector to discharge a compressed heel blank while another blank is being compressed.

7. a machine for compressing heel blanks, t e combination of a mold block having a plurality of molds, feeding means for automaticall feeding a heel blank, means for exerting pressure upon the faces or a blank contained in one of said molds, means for exerting pressure on the breast or a heel blank contained in one of said molds, an e ector, means for reciprocating the mold block to present a blank to said pressure e2;- erting means and another blank to said ejector, and means for operating the pressure means and ejector to discharge a compressed eel blank while another blank is being comressed.

S. In a compressing machine, the combination of a slide, a mold block carried by the slide and having a plurality of molds for presenting blanks in a substantially vertical plane, compression dies movable toward each other into a mold for compressing a blank, an ejector, means for reciprocating the slide and molds to present a blank to the action of the dies and a compressed blank to the ejector, and means for actuating the dies and ejector to discharge a compressed blank While another blank is being compressed.

9. in a compressing machine, the combination or a slide, a mold block carried l oy the slide and having a plurality of molds for presenting blanks in a substantially vertical plane, means for detachably connecting the mold block to the slide, compression dies movable toward each other into a mold for compressing a blank. an ejector, means for reciprocating the slide and moldsto press: t a blank to the action of the dies and a compressed blank to th ejector, and means for actuating the dies and ejector to discharge a compressed blank While another blank is being compressed.

10. In a compression machine, the combination of face pressure exerting member movable toward and from each other, another compression member movable toward and the path of movement of the face members, a mold block having a plurality of molds and movable transversely relative to said compression members, ector means, means for reciprocating the mold block to present a blank to the action of the compres sion members and a compressed blank to the ejector means, and mechanism for operating the compression members and ejector to simultaneously discharge a compressed blank While another blank is being compressed.

11. In a compression machine, the combination of face pressure exerting members movable toward and from each other, another comoression member movable toward and from the path of movement of the face members, a mold block having a plurality of molds and movable transversely relative to said compression members, ejector means, means for reciprocating the mold block to present a blank to the action or" the compression members and a compressed blank to the ector means, and toggle mechanism for operating the compression members and ejector to simultaneously discharge a compressed blank While another blank is being compressed.

12. In a compression machine, the combination of a slide, a mold block carried by the slide and having two molds for supporting blanks in substantially vertical planes, horizontally movable compression members '1 g face pressure upon a blank in one of said molds, a vertically movable compression member for exerting vertical compression upon the blank, means for reciproeating the slide and mold block, ejector mechanism, and means for operating the compression members and ejector mechanism to discharge a compressed blank While another blank is being compressed.

l3. ln a compressing machine, the combination of a mold block having two molds to hold blanks in a substantially vertical position, a horizontally movable compression member at each side 01" the mold block, and means for reciprocating the mold block to present the molds alternately in the path of the pressure members to compress a blank and present a compressed blank in position at either side of the path of movement of the pressure members to be ejected.

141-. In compressing machine, thecombination or a mold block having two molds to .hold blanks in a substantially vertical position, a horizontally movable compression member each side of the mold block, a third compression member movable in a substantially vertical plane, and means for re ciprocating the mold block to present the molds alternately in the path of the pressure members to compress a blank and present a compressed blank in position at either side of the path of movement of the pressure members to be ejected;

15. In a compressing machine, the combination of pressure exerting means, a mold block carrying slide, means for reciprocating the slide transversely of the pressure exerting means, a mold block having a plurality of molds, and means for detachably con- 10 necting the mold block to the slide, constructed and arranged to permit the mold block to he removed from the machine 'by movement lengthwise of the slide.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 15 name to this specification.

EDWARD ERIGKSON. 

